Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Natural Gas

lord risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on UK natural gas demand of (1) the Carbon Price Floor, and (2) the proposal to end power generation from coal by 2025.

lord henley: UK gas demand is made up of several components of which demand for power generation contributes approximately a third of the total. Whilst Carbon Price Support (CPS) and our policy to end unabated coal generation by 2025 may result in some coal to gas switching, overall gas demand for electricity generation has fallen by 8% and total UK gas demand has decreased by about 20% over the period from 2000 to 2016.[1]CPS is a tax on carbon emitted from the burning of fossil fuels by electricity generators in Great Britain. It was introduced in 2013 to provide long term certainty on the overall carbon price and supporting investment in low-carbon generation, including nuclear. In 2012 coal represented 40% (136 TWh) of generation, down to 9% (30 TWh) in 2016. Some of this capacity will have been replaced by gas with gas generation increasing from 28% (98 TWh) to 42% (141 TWh) of total generation, but there has also been an increase of renewable generation from 14% (51 TWh) to 23% (79TWh) of total generation.Coal closure policy is intended to not only reduce harmful emissions, but also to increase revenue certainty for investment in low carbon and flexible generation capacity, and demonstrate international climate policy leadership. The department’s impact assessment for coal closure policy[2], estimates that around 1.5GW of coal capacity would remain on the system post 2025 in the absence intervention, and thus the direct impact on gas demand is expected to be limited. [1] Energy statistics in this response are from Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/digest-of-uk-energy-statistics-dukes[2] The Future of Coal Generation in Great Britain Impact assessment - https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/671959/FINAL_updated_unabated_coal_Impact_Assessment_Jan_2018.pdf  



Future of Coal Generation in Great Britain - IA
(PDF Document, 812.01 KB)

Energy: Prices

lord risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill on energy securiy in Great Britain.

lord henley: The Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill requires that, in setting the price cap, Ofgem have regard to, among other things, the need to ensure an efficient supplier’s ability to finance its supply activities. The price cap does not cover generation and therefore will not impact on security of supply. The Capacity Market is at the heart of the Government’s plans for a reliable energy system, and is providing the right investment incentives for a mix of secure electricity capacity in the UK. Following four successful main auctions, and the early auction, the Capacity Market has already secured the bulk of the electricity we need from the current winter through to 2021/2022. The design of the Capacity Market drives fierce competition, creating good value outcomes for consumers. The latest auction cleared at only £8.40/kW, making it the cheapest main auction so far. For gas, the UK benefits from a highly diverse and flexible system of supply sources, including indigenous production, imports from Norway and the continuent, storage and liquefied natural gas imports, all of which contribute to a diverse and liquid market which is responsive enough to meet demand even during periods of extreme weather.

Energy: Prices

lord risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill on investmentin the development of future (1) power, and (2) gas supplies, in the UK.

lord henley: The Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill is clear that Ofgem must have regard to the need to ensure that holders of supply licences who operate efficiently are able to finance activities authorised by the licence. It would be for the independent regulator, Ofgem, to make its assessment of efficient operations. Ofgem is not required to have regard to investment projects that are outside the scope of the activities authorised by the supply licence.

Energy: Prices

lord risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what advice they sought from (1) Ofgem, and (2) the Competition and Markets Authority, ahead of the Prime Minister's announcement in October 2017 of an energy tariff cap.

lord henley: Ministers and officials in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy seek advice from stakeholders on a range of issues. My noble Friend will be aware that, on a referral from Ofgem, the Competition and Markets Authority carried out an extensive investigation into the energy market in which it found that customers of the Big 6 energy suppliers are suffering an average annual detriment of around £1.4bn due to overcharging and supplier inefficiencies.

Energy: Prices

lord risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the assessment made of the costs and benefits of including a clause in the Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Bill to allow organisations a right of appeal to the Competions and MarketsAuthority.

lord henley: The Bill requires Ofgem to consult on its proposal for setting the level of the price cap, and to have regard to the need to ensure that an efficient supplier can finance their licenced supply activities. A route of appeal against Ofgem’s decision would be available via judicial review. The Government is not in a position to assess or comment on the likely costs and benefits that might be incurred by third parties in relation to hypothetical legal challenges.

Trade Marks

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government who has the right to register a trademark in the United Kingdom.

lord henley: Any individual or legal entity who has an intention to use the trade mark on the relevant goods or services may make an application for a trade mark in the UK. Full details and guidance can be found on the Intellectual Property Office’s pages on the Government’s website.

Trade Marks

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government which provisionsgovern contesting the ownershipof a trademark in the UK.

lord henley: There are a range of provisions, set out in the Trade Marks Act 1994 (as amended), under which the validity of a trade mark or its ownership may be contested. These include where another party is the owner of an earlier right, or where the application can be shown to have been made in bad faith. Full details and guidance can be found on the Intellectual Property Office’s pages on the Government’s website.

Defence: Manufacturing Industries

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers ministers have in relation to national security in cases of proposed takeovers of British defence-related manufacturers.

lord henley: Under the Enterprise Act 2002, Ministers have powers to intervene in mergers that raise public interest considerations of national security, media plurality and financial stability. In October 2017, the Government also published a Green Paper on proposals for long-term reform of the arrangements for the scrutiny of investments in relation to national security. The public consultation has now closed and the Government will bring forward a White Paper later this year.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Diplomatic Service

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 20 February (HL5413), what are thestaff savings made in (1) Asia, (2) the Americas, and (3) Africa, broken down by (a) country, (b) diplomatic post, and (c) nature of staff saving.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The 50 new diplomatic positions we have created in Europe, are being funded through internal reprioritisation at an estimated (revised) cost of £4.1m. We will complete changes that will yield these savings by 2020, as part of the Diplomacy 20:20 Programme, and we will balance our budget within this Spending Round. We are seeking to deliver our frontline work efficiently, flexibly and with the same, or better, impact. In a number of overseas Posts, we are looking at different ways of doing frontline work, rather than reducing it. This will contribute about £2m in savings. Plans for changes to front-line jobs, with approximate savings estimates for each region. Other savings are being realised by changes to how we deliver corporate services and by working differently, including through use of upgraded technology.Region Posts Changes to front-line jobsAfricaGoma, DRCOne UK Based (UKB) job affected*AmericasSao Paolo, Brasilia, Washington and Bogota1.6 UK UKB jobs and two Local Staff (LS) jobs affected*Asia PacificChina network and Jakarta TokyoSeven UKB jobs and ten LS jobs affected*South Asia and AfghanistanAfghanistanUp to ten UKB jobs may be affected*Total Up to 19.6 UKB and 12 LS jobs may be affected*Affected * - Could mean; transferred to a cross-government fund, localised, relocated or cut.

Iraq: Islamic State

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Iraqconcerning the restitution and restoration of churches desecrated by ISIS in Mosul; and what measures are being taken to protect returning minorities.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We consistently underline to the Federal Government in Baghdad and the Kurdish Regional Government in Erbil the importance of upholding and protecting the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all minority communities, including Christians. When the Prime Minister visited Iraq on 29 November she made clear that as Iraq rebuilds, and its peoples reconcile, all Iraqis’ human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected and promoted. She also emphasised to Prime Minister Abadi that families must be able to return home and rebuild their lives – when it is safe to do so - supported by the prospect of genuine reconciliation. I reinforced these messages during my visit to Iraq and the Kurdistan Region on 2-4 March and called on Iraqi parliamentarians to publically condemn acts of violence against minorities.

Commonwealth: HIV Infection

baroness gould of potternewton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether issues affecting (1) people living with HIV, and (2) key populations affected by HIV, will be considered at the Commonwealth Heads of Government conference in April, in order to ensure that there are adequate protections against discrimination across all Commonwealth countries.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are in discussion with other member states and the Commonwealth Secretariat to finalise the agenda for the forthcoming Heads of Government meeting. We anticipate that discussion at the summit, in the four Commonwealth Forums and in the Ministerial meetings, will range widely and cover the most pressing global health challenges facing Commonwealth member states, including issues affecting people living with HIV and populations affected by HIV.

Jerusalem: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any,they are making to the government of Israel concerning reports of discrimination against Palestinians living in East Jerusalem who pay municipal taxes to Israel but receive fewer municipal and emergency services.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly make clear to the Israeli authorities and the Municipality of Jerusalem our serious concerns about the situation in East Jerusalem, both bilaterally and in co-operation with EU partners. These concerns include the evictions of Palestinians and demolition of Palestinian property; the construction of illegal Israeli settlements; removal of residency rights from Palestinians; possible unilateral changes to the municipal borders; and severe difficulties of access to Jerusalem for Palestinians from the West Bank or those residents of Jerusalem who live beyond the Separation Barrier.

Mohammed Tamimi

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel concerning reports that a minor, Muhammed Tamimi, had a bullet removed from his skull and then signed a confession without legal or parental representation stating that his injuries were caused by falling off a bike.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are following this case closely and our Embassy in Tel Aviv will raise this case with the relevant Israeli authorities.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel in regard to reports of the targeting of Palestinian children by Israeli forces.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Whilst we have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities, the UK continues to have strong concerns about continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. While we welcome progress made by Israel following the recommendations of the Children in Military Custody Report, we remain particularly concerned by reports of the continued heavy use of painful restraints and the high number of Palestinian children who are not informed of their legal rights, in contravention of Israel's own regulations. We will continue to push for the implementation of the recommendations of the children in military Custody report in full, and we continue to offer to support to Israel through expert level talks.

Department of Health and Social Care

Abortion

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any GP surgeries are approved for the purpose of terminating an unwanted pregnancy; if so which; and what consideration they have given to approving GP surgeries as designated areas for medical abortions as recommended by the World Health Organisation.

lord o'shaughnessy: There are currently no plans to approve general practitioner surgeries as a separate “class of place” for medical abortions under the Abortion Act 1967.

Department for International Development

Palestinians: Humanitarian Aid

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the findings by an Israeli economist, Shir Hever, that as much as 78 per cent of the humanitarian aid intended for Palestinians is diverted to Israelis.

lord bates: UK officials have seen the report, which claims that 78% of international development aid money for the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) is used to import goods from Israel. We cannot confirm the validity of this claim, but we note that the report does not claim that international development aid is not reaching the intended Palestinian beneficiaries for humanitarian purposes. DFID implements a robust monitoring and evaluation system to ensure that UK aid reaches the intended beneficiaries and achieves the best development outcomes, with a strong focus on ensuring value for money for the UK taxpayer. As the report notes, the Palestinian economy is highly reliant on Israel for trade, particularly for the imports of goods and services. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, trade with Israel accounted for around half of Palestinian trade in 2016. The UK consistently calls on the Israeli Government to ease movement and access restrictions in the OPTs to help unlock trade opportunities with other countries.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Mining

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe likelihood that the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will use fundslevied from the mining industry to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in that country.

lord bates: The UK Government will continue to strongly encourage the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to increase their own commitments to the humanitarian crisis in the country, including funds generated from the sale of minerals. Currently there is a low willingness and ability on the DRC side to do this, given the lack of transparency in the management and oversight of the mining sector. We will do this in conjunction with other international partners, such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. We will raise this directly at the upcoming UN Donor Conference on the DRC, to be held in Geneva on the 13th April 2018.

Developing Countries: Disability

baroness sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks byLord Bates on 22 February (HL Deb, cols 319–22), what assessment they have made of the extent to which older women with disabilities are among the most vulnerable groups in developing countries; and what plans they have, ahead of the Global Disability Summit in July, to include older women in their disability agenda.

lord bates: The UK government recognises that historically global development has not reached marginalised groups, such as older women with disabilities. This is why we took a leading role in pushing for the global goals to be underpinned by the promise to leave no one behind. We have been coordinating global efforts to strengthen data quality and systems that accurately capture the experience and lives of older people, women, and people with disabilities. We will continue to drive progress in this area so that we can we can identify those that are most at risk of being left behind and not reached by programming. Ageing forms an important part of the UK’s work on disability inclusion in international development and is integral to our approach to leaving no one behind. Older women with disabilities will benefit from the Global Disability Summit, which will lock in progress and increase action and investment in this historically neglected area.

Overseas Aid

lord stoddart of swindon: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the savings that would be made if UK aid spending were based on the world average percentage spend for overseas aid.

lord bates: DFID does not make such estimates. However, data on the different percentages of Official Development Assistance of Gross National Income is published openly by the OECD, and is available with this link http://www.oecd.org/dac/financing-sustainable-development/development-finance-data/ODA-2016-detailed-summary.pdf. The UK Government is committed to spending 0.7% of Gross National Income on Aid as set out in the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015.



Detailed ODA Summary - 2016
(PDF Document, 276.43 KB)

Department for Education

Pupil Exclusions

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will commence the review of school exclusions and implications for pupil groups disproportionately represented in exclusion statistics, including those with special needs and disabilities.

lord agnew of oulton: The government launched the attached review of school exclusions, led by the former Minister for Vulnerable Children and Families (Edward Timpson) on Friday 16 March. The review will help us to understand how and why schools use exclusion, what drives the variation we see in exclusion rates and, in particular, the disproportionate exclusion of some groups including black Caribbean boys, Children in Need, Looked After Children, and those with Special Educational Needs. The review will also explore and identify effective practice, which can be shared across the system. As part of this review, we also published our call for evidence, at: https://consult.education.gov.uk/school-absence-and-exclusions-team/exclusions-review-call-for-evidence/. We are seeking views from parents, children, schools, local authorities and other organisations, about their experiences, practice and evidence. Responses should be submitted by 6 May 2018.



Attachment  1
(PDF Document, 107.44 KB)

Overseas Students: EU Nationals

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have run an impact study on the likely effect on UK university finances of EU students having to pay international fees following Brexit; and if so, what was the outcome of that study.

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatestimate they have made of the possiblereduction in the number of EU students registering for UK universities in the event of those studentshaving to pay international fees following Brexit.

viscount younger of leckie: EU students, staff and researchers make an important contribution to our universities. We want that contribution to continue and are confident – given the quality of our higher education sector – that it will. Analysis of Higher Education Statistics Agency finance data shows that in 2015/16, EU tuition fee income accounted for around 2.3% of total higher education institution sector income in the UK. However, some institutions are more dependent on the EU tuition fee income meaning the impact of leaving the EU may be greater for some institutions than others. The precise impact will depend on the outcome of the UK’s negotiations with the EU and the subsequent response of universities.

Apprentices: Taxation

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Higher National Certificate and Higher National Diploma courses have been terminated as a result of new rules arising out of the Apprentice Levy.

lord agnew of oulton: The information requested is not held centrally. Further information on qualifications within apprenticeship standards is available on the Institute for Apprenticeships website at: https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/developing-new-apprenticeships/developing-and-writing-an-apprenticeship-occupational-standard/. The latest information we have on the number of Higher National Certificates and Higher National Diplomas is from the 2016/17 academic year, and as such covers a period prior to the levy coming into effect.

Schools: Registration

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a place where only religious matters are taught to children who do not reside there is required to register as a school; and if not, to what extent the teaching of general subjects, such as English and maths, is necessary before such a place is required to register as a school.

lord agnew of oulton: To be registered as an independent school, an institution must meet the definition of a school in Section 4 of the Education Act 1996, which requires it to provide primary and/or secondary education. The provision of a single discipline, such as religious education alone, does not meet this requirement. Registered independent schools are expected to provide the full range of subjects specified in the attached independent school standards as prescribed in regulations - which include linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical, and aesthetic and creative education.



Independent School Standards
(PDF Document, 116.33 KB)

Children in Care

lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that personal budgets for looked after children, those at risk of entering care, adopted children, and care leavers, are spent on evidence-based interventions and not on the replication of services offered by universal provision.

lord mccoll of dulwich: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are taking steps to ensure that where there is a lack of evidence about the most suitable interventions for looked after children, those at risk of entering care, adopted children, and care leavers, the use of resources such as personal budgets and the post-adoption support fund is monitored and evaluated, and, where possible, that interventions purchased are subject to a suitably designed research trial.

lord agnew of oulton: Personal health budgets and the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) are generally used for interventions that are not universally offered or commissioned locally, offering access to support that would not ordinarily be available to meet the child’s needs. The use of personal health budgets for looked after children and young people is being piloted and independently evaluated. The evaluation includes assessment of the benefits of personal health budgets, including impact on mental health outcomes. Regular reviews also take place at an individual level to ensure the support provided continues to meet the child’s needs. An independent evaluation of the ASF was published in August 2017, which can be found attached. The government gave a commitment, in ‘Adoption: a vision for change’, also attached, to strengthen the evidence base of ‘what works’ in terms of preventative and therapeutic adoption support. The department is currently exploring ways to achieve this, including through use of the findings of a new independent evaluation of the ASF, monitoring the impact of the fund for children, families, local authorities and providers.   



Adoption Support Fund Evaluation 
(PDF Document, 1.11 MB)




Adoption Support Fund Evaluation Appendix
(PDF Document, 7.1 MB)




Adoption: A Vision for Change
(PDF Document, 676.37 KB)

University Technical Colleges

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what support they provide for the development of University Technical Colleges.

lord agnew of oulton: Once university technical college (UTC) applications have been approved, projects receive financial support during their development as they work towards opening. Similarly, they receive funding in the early years after opening as they build up towards capacity. UTCs are also eligible for specialist equipment funding, agreed on a case-by-case basis as appropriate, to support the teaching of technical subjects.

Treasury

Stocks and Shares

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the Bank of America's survey of managers of global investment portfolios, which found that UK equities were the least attractive choice.

lord bates: We do not comment on financial market movements or assessments of equity markets.

Individual Savings Accounts

lord cromwell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to address the decline in use of the cash Individual Savings Account; and how investment in 2016–17 compared to 2015–16.

lord cromwell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the recommendations of the cross-party Association of Accounting Technicians Individual Savings Account Working Group, that (1) the ISA name should be removedfrom the Help to Buy scheme, and (2) the Lifetime ISA should be closed to new entrants,and (3) all remaining ISAs should be foldedinto a single "Everything ISA".

lord cromwell: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have given consideration to scrapping the annual ISA savings limit in favour of a £1 million lifetime contributions limit, asproposed by the cross-party Association of Accounting Technicians Individual Savings Account Working Group; and if not, why not.

lord cromwell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken, or plan to take, to create an ISA dashboard, based on the same principles as the Pensions Dashboard project.

lord bates: The Government notes the Association of Accounting Technicians Individual Savings Account Working Group’s proposals regarding ISAs. The Chancellor of the Exchequer keeps all tax policy under review and information provided to us is considered as part of this process. The Government wants to continue to support people to save in the way that is right for them, which is why there are a range of options to help people make their money go further. ISAs form part of this support, and remain an incredibly popular product with around half of UK households having one. In April 2017, the ISA allowance increased by a record amount to £20,000. This, combined with the introduction of the Personal Savings Allowance in April 2016, has given savers more flexibility when choosing the product most suitable for them and means that over 95% of people have no tax to pay on their savings income.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Empty Property

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they intend to take, through housing associations, local authorities, and social landlords, to bring into use empty properties over shops, in particular for rough sleepers and families housed in bed and breakfast accommodation.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: One person without a home is one too many and we are determined to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.Local authorities have powers and strong incentives to tackle empty homes, and through the New Homes Bonus they earn the same financial reward for bringing an empty home back into use as building a new one. To go even further, we recently announced proposals to strengthen the powers available to local authorities to tackle empty homes which mean that local authorities will be able to charge a 100 per cent council tax premium (currently 50 per cent) to homes that have been empty for more than two years.In order to place homeless households into settled accommodation more quickly, we changed the law in 2011 to allow councils to place families in decent and affordable private rented homes.The Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce will drive forward the implementation of a cross Government strategy to achieve our commitment of halving rough sleeping by 2022 and eliminating it altogether by 2027. The Taskforce met for the first time on 7th March and we will publish the strategy by July this year.

Rented Housing: Security of Tenure

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of thecosts and benefits of introducing five year minimum contracts for rented accommodation, in order to provide greater security for families.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government is committed to protecting the rights of tenants and giving them more security. We will shortly be launching a consultation seeking views on the benefits and barriers to landlords offering longer tenancies in the private rented sector. This work will inform any next steps, including costs, of how we can support landlords to offer more secure tenancies.

Homelessness: Charities

lord roberts of llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of homeless charities with regard to upholding the rights of vulnerable people.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Charities, and the thousands of people who work for them and volunteer with them, make a real difference to the lives of vulnerable people. Working in close partnership with established and statutory homelessness services, they are part of vital work to provide consistent, high quality support for vulnerable people.We all need to work together to break the homelessness cycle, and we are committed to drawing on as much expertise and experience as we can. We have established a Rough Sleeping Advisory Panel, made up of key representatives from local government, central government and homelessness charities. Together, they provide a depth of expertise on rough sleeping and will work closely with the Rough Sleeping and Homelessness Reduction Taskforce, to develop the strategy to achieve the Government’s commitment to halve rough sleeping by 2022.

Ministry of Defence

USA: Nuclear Weapons

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the two new low-yield nuclear weapons, submarine-launched cruise missile and submarine-launched ballistic missile, contained within the US nuclear posture review; and what are the implications of the introduction of those weapons for NATO security and strategic stability with Russia.

earl howe: The US Nuclear Posture Review reflects the worsening security situation in the world. It seeks to ensure a credible and capable deterrence against the threats we face. The review also makes clear that the US decision to modify a small number of existing warheads to provide a low yield option and, in the longer term, to pursue a new sea-launched cruise missile, are intended to enhance deterrence and to counter perception of an exploitable gap in US capabilities. NATO will remain a nuclear alliance for as long as nuclear weapons exist.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of the implications of the US nuclear posture review for UK nuclear weapons and deterrence policy.

earl howe: The UK welcomes the US Nuclear Posture Review which is largely a continuation of their current policy and posture. We remain confident we have a credible and capable nuclear deterrent.

USA: Nuclear Weapons

lord judd: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their assessment of (1)the effect of theUS nuclear posture review plans to "strengthen the integration of nuclear and non-nuclear military planning", and (2) how those plans will affect UK nuclear planning with NATO.

earl howe: The UK welcomes the recent US Nuclear Posture Review which is largely a continuation of current policy, whilst recognising the reality of the changed security environment since the last review in 2010. Crucially, it reaffirms the continued US commitment to Euro-Atlantic security through NATO. The US review does not affect the UK's continued nuclear deterrent commitment to NATO, nor does it impact on our support to NATO's planning processes.

Poland: NATO

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British troops are deployed in Poland as part of the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence Battle Group led by the United States; what is their assessment of how successful thosetroopshave been in deterring Russian belligerence; and whether there are any plans to increase the number of British troops deployed.

earl howe: There are approximately 150 British troops deployed to Poland in support of NATO's enhanced Forward Presence (eFP). The precise number fluctuates due to routine troop rotations and activity such as exercises. UK troops have integrated well with Allied forces and we are confident that the deployment is achieving its aims as an important part of NATO's overall deterrence posture. There are no plans to increase the number of British troops deployed in Poland.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Food: Self-sufficiency

baroness miller of chilthorne domer: To ask Her Majesty's Government what arethe most recent figures for the UK's food self sufficiency; and what assessment they have made of whether increases in overall food production are an export opportunity or an opportunity for the UK to become more self-sufficient.

lord gardiner of kimble: The UK's current production to supply ratio is 76% for indigenous-type foods and 60% for all foods. This has been stable for two decades and is not low in the context of the last 150 years; in the inter-war period, the rate was as low as 30-40%. Self-sufficiency is not in itself an indicator of food security. The UK has historically been a net importer of food and it sources from a diverse range of stable countries. This approach will continue once we leave the EU. Achieving increased self-sufficiency in indigenous products would not insulate us from certain types of shocks. For example, severe weather and disease can have an impact on harvests and yields. We have recently launched a new consultation, ‘Health and Harmony: The Future for Food, Farming and the Environment in a Green Brexit’ which sets out the proposed policy framework for agriculture after the UK leaves the EU. The Government is committed to boosting the productivity of UK agriculture through a strong focus on science, research and innovation, and by developing targeted transitional policies that reflect our farmers’ needs and allow them to grow more, sell more and export more of our fantastic British food.

Cabinet Office

Electoral Register: Internet

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allowing online electoral registrationusing a recognised Government identification such as a passport or driving licence instead of a national insurance number, in line with arrangements for registration by post.

lord young of cookham: While it is possible to register to vote without a National Insurance number, the IER Digital Service uses National Insurance numbers provided by electoral registration applicants to establish identity quickly and easily (applications are processed overnight). This in turn allows Electoral Registration Officers to complete the processing of applications as efficiently as possible. This is especially important in the run up to electoral events.The operation of the Digital Service shows that making use of National Insurance numbers in this way is effective. Of the 31,407,478 total applications received between 9 June 2014 and 19 February 2018 (the latest period for which we hold data), only 446,277 or 1.4 per cent were unverifiable. Unverifiable applications are those where an applicant has not provided all of the information necessary to verify their identity. This category therefore includes all those applications received without a National Insurance number. This means that at least 98.5 per cent of those people making an application through the Digital Service have been able to provide a National Insurance number.The small number of applicants who cannot provide a National Insurance number are still able to apply to register to vote. Applications without a National Insurance number are processed by the Digital Service and then passed to the local electoral administration team. The team will contact the applicant to provide proof of identity, such as a passport or driving licence. There is also an attestation process for people who cannot provide such alternative forms of ID.

Electoral Register

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to promote anonymous electoral registration for people who have been victims of domestic violence, or whose personal safety is at serious risk as a result of their address appearing on electoral registers; and whether the process will be advertised, for example in GP surgeries.

lord young of cookham: It is the role of the Electoral Commission and Electoral Registration Officers, togetherwith domestic abuse charities, supported by the Government, to raise awareness ofthe anonymous registration scheme with electors who may need to use it.The Government has supported the Electoral Commission in updating guidance for electors on www.yourvotematters.co.uk.Women’s Aid, and other domestic abuse support charities, are raising awareness of anonymous registration with their clients through their social media and general advocacy and support services.

Electoral Register

lord rennard: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to encourage GPs(1) to attestto the need for anonymous electoral registration under the Representation of the People (Amendment) Regulations 2018, in order to protect victims of domestic violence, and (2) not to charge for doing so.

lord young of cookham: The Government will work with the relevant representative bodies to raise awareness of the scheme.It is for GPs to decide whether they can attest to an individual’s safety being at risk if included on the electoral register, and whether they charge for this service. Some do this without charge.Should an elector experience difficulties with obtaining an attestation from a GP, other avenues remain open for them to seek attestations without charge.

Department for International Trade

Overseas Companies: China

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what restrictions apply to British firms seeking to acquire Chinese commercial assets.

baroness fairhead: The UK Government places no restrictions on British firms looking to invest in China and the stock of UK foreign direct investment (FDI) in China was £11.6bn in 2016, 17.7% higher than in 2015. Some UK businesses looking to invest in China face multiple restrictions and China has an overall FDI restrictiveness index of 0.327 on the OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index, the fourth most restrictive of the sixty-two countries for which data is available. China’s Catalogue for Guidance of Foreign Invested Industries, which is revised periodically, places sectors into approved, restricted and prohibited categories. Examples of some prohibited sectors include sensitive areas such as the exploration and exploitation of minerals, the creation of genetically modified crops, livestock and seeds and the processing of traditional Chinese medicines.At the 9th UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue, the UK welcomed China’s decision in November 2017 to raise the caps on direct and indirect equity ownership by foreign investors across a range of financial services sectors.

Overseas Trade: USA

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that close regulatory alignment with the EU in certain areas will have on the UK's ability to trade with the US.

baroness fairhead: We are seeking the greatest possible barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, alongside the ability to negotiate our own ambitious trade agreements around the world. The US is already our largest single trading partner, accounting for around 15% of total UK trade, worth around £166bn billion in 2016. We expect the US to remain a key trading partner as we leave the EU and have already established a Trade and Investment Working Group to strengthen our bilateral trade and investment relationship. Close regulatory alignment with the EU could take many different forms. There may be an impact on our ability to agree ambitious regulatory elements in a future FTA with the US (i.e. to further reduce barriers to trade) should we not be able to diverge.